Hey guys! 

Taking a break from my usual food posts, I'd like to share with you my experience about studying abroad. I will be taking an M.Sc. program in The Netherlands starting this September. Are you thinking of studying abroad? Consider this: 

Why do you want to study abroad?  

Well, in my case, I need this program if I want to succeed further in my line of work. Why abroad? Because I like the international perspective and environment. Staying abroad can actually change your perception about your life and how you view certain things (or so I've heard). I feel like I will not be challenged and developed enough if I continue my studies here. Think about what you want to do in the next five or ten years. You can do this by talking to people closest to you, your boss or manager, or your lecturer. 

If you have sorted out your purpose to go abroad then by all means read on. 

By program or by country? 

I honestly searched the many postgraduate programs by country. Since I want to get as much as possible from the program, I ruled out first the country whose language I don't speak. For me, the choices were the UK and the Netherlands (yes most of their master's degree in delivered in English), since I only speak English. The US was not on my list because it was too troublesome. Australia was dropped because most of their program runs for two years and I really want to go back to work as soon as possible. I know there are several other countries which offers postgrads programs in English but I also look for the country which has many Indonesian communities. It's merely for making network. 

Rankings? 

Now, University rankings. I actually don't pay attention much to University rankings (well, only a little bit). So what if your University rankings are high? Yes, it will look good on your resume. But, really it's what you do there. Keep in mind that the higher the rank is, the higher the standard of achievement and competitiveness as well. I am sure all universities in a developed country have good standard of teaching and research opportunities. You don't have to pick the highest rank, go through the top 15 from each country.  Rankings don't matter when you don't like the programs offered. Also, look over the international office services. I'd rather pick a university who has a lot of international students - they know how to take care of them.

Picking a program
Applying for a study abroad isn't a short process. It involves going through so many sites and it can take time. It took me six months of logging into different websites and talking to my supervisor.

First look at the course outline, course purpose, types of assignments and how the classes are run (in a group, mostly lectures). You can also look through the professors and their research interest. It is common to email the course coordinator if you want to ask questions. Some professors will get back to you quickly.

Now, you picked a country and a program. Be ready for changes - your choice can change every week! For me, it changes several times. My three choices were University of Bristol, University of Manchester and Leiden University. At first I was so sure I wanted to go to the UK. But, because I cannot secure a fully funded scholarship in the UK, I opted for Leiden University instead.

Application 
You'll need an English Language Certification, mainly TOEFL or IELTS. Look in the program's requirements. If you are unsure of your English capability, get a preparation course. In these courses you will get to know the test structure, practice them and get feedbacks on your performance. Take the actual test in a reliable test points. Go over to www.ielts.org to find them.

You'll need to write a motivation letter or statement. There are plenty of examples available online and some programs outlines how such a letter should be written. Do explain about your background, the need for the program and how the program will benefit you in the future. If your intended Master's is different from your undergraduate background, do explain why in this statement as well.

They will ask two or more references from your previous lecturer or superior. This is important. I am not sure what they judge from these references but it is always good to have references from people who know your performance, like your superordinate, your thesis advisors or academic advisors.

They will also review your transcripts. Some asks for your CV and previous working experiences.

For your information, most universities in the UK doesn't require you to make an application fee, unlike universities in the Netherlands. I'm not that kind of person who sends many applications. But, if you're up for it, by all means, please apply to as many universities as you desire. For me, I'd rather focus only on the ones I want.

Funding 
This is tricky. If you are fortunate enough to fund your own studies, you'll be fine. But, if you're not so fortunate you might have to find some funding sources. In this section, I can only speak for a fresh graduate like me: try every option and prepare fully for all. Check at the university's website for funding options that you can apply. At this point, be realistic. If a partial scholarship doesn't suffice, don't push it. I am sure there are other fully funded options if you keep trying. Getting a job and making money abroad is extremely hard, especially if you don't speak the local language.

That's it for this part one. I'd like to go to part two specifically for you who wants to study in the Netherlands. Stay tuned!


Always,
Hana